Fire extinguisher



May 15, 1956 J. L. PHALEN 2,745,700

FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed July 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR.

Q QM WW 5M May 1956 J. 1.. PHALEN FIRE EXTINGUISHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed July 27, 1953 Fig. 3

e G Q-ii m m P M 6 w J INVENTOR.

BY I!!! I WWW fi United States Patent FIRE EXTlNGUISI-IER Joseph L.Phalen, Omaha, Nebn, assignor of one-half to Eugene D. OSullivan, Omaha,Nebr.

Application July 27, 1953, Serial No. 370,355

3 Claims. (Cl. 299-95) This invention relates to a fire extinguisher andparticularly to a fire extinguisher having the pressure applied by atank of nitrogen or other inert gas Without the use of pumps or otherpressure producing devices and utilizing a fog nozzle with or withoutthe utilization of pressure gas to produce a high fog fire fightingblanket.

In fighting fires, it is not only necessary to be able to reach the fireto cover the fire with a blanket of smothering materials such as wateror fog but it is also necessary to dissipate the heat so that thefiremen can approach the fire.

The present invention produces a fire fighting equipment utilizing atank of water or other fire extinguishing fluid placed under pressure bymeans of bottled gas, such as nitrogen and fed to a fog nozzle by anysuitable length of flexible tubing and if desired, also, the fluid fedto the nozzle may be reinforced by a filling of pressure gas. Preferablya fog nozzle is attached to the fire fighting tubular conduit so thatthe spray is dissipated as a fine fog which not only smothers andextinguishes the fire but also absorbs the heat therefrom so that thefiremen may approach readily to the place of the fire.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved fireextinguisher.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a fire extinguisherwithout any moving parts.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a fire extinguisherutilizing a compressed gas for forcing the liquid into the fire.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a fire fightingequipment producing a fogging material including a non-inflammable gas.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a fog producing firefighting equipment.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent from the following detailed description takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the fog fire extinguisher;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the fire extinguisher;

Figure 3 is a schematic view with parts broken away and in section; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the fog control.

In the exemplary embodiment according to the invention, a fluidcontainer is provided in a substantially cylindrical form having a dometop 12 and a substantially flat bottom portion 14. The dome top 12 isprovided with a boss 16 in which is an aperture into which is connecteda conduit 18. A combination fitting 20 is applied to the top of theconduit 18 and is provided with a suitable plug connection 22 which isadapted to be sealed or loosened to produce a vent in the fitting 20. AT-connection 24 is likewise provided in the fitting 20 for a purposepresently to be described.

A pressure conduit 26 is connected into the fitting 20 and is providedwith a control valve 28. The opposite end of the conduit 26 is providedwith a fitting 30 adapted to be connected to the control terminal of acompressed gas bottle 32. A pressure regulating valve 34 is connected inseries with the conduit 26 so that the pressure in the bottle 32 isproperly distributed and controlled through the conduit 26.

The dome 12 is provided with a second aperture 40 into which is sealed aconduit 42 which extends substantially adjacent the bottom 14 of thecontainer 10 and has an inlet opening 44 therein. A flexible conduit 46is connected to the conduit 42 and extends to a nozzle 48, preferably ofthe fog producing type and having a shut-ofl valve 50 therein. A mixertube 52 is connected into the T-connection 24 and is provided with avalve 54 for controlling the passage therethrough. The tube 52 isconnected into the discharge tube 42 so that gas may be conductedthrough the T-fitting 24 into the discharge conduit 42.

In order to make the fire fighting equipment readily portable, a bracket60 is connected to one side of the container 10 and a castor 62 isrotatably mounted thereon and extends below the bottom of the container10. A shelf-like platform 64 is connected to the opposite side of thetank 10 and reinforced by means of suitable braces 66 and 68. Wheelsupporting brackets 70 are mounted on the platform 64 and support a pairof wheels 72 in spaced relation to each other so that the wheels 72 withthe castor 62 provide a three-point support for the container and theassociated bottle 32.

In order to properly support the 'bottle 32, a recess 74 is provided inthe platform 64 and a skeleton framework 76 is mounted therebelow toreceive the bottom end of the pressure bottle 32. A flexible supportmember 78 is connected to eyes 80 and 82 secured to the side of thecontainer 10, adjacent the top thereof so that the bottle 32 may befastened within the loop 78 and the recess '74 rigidly supportedadjacent the side of the container 10 so that it may be readilyconnected to the conduit 26.

Obviously any suitable support may be placed under the container and theassociated bottle or bottles 32 and a particularly portable type ofdevice would supply a motor tricycle device for supporting the tank 10and the bottle or bottles 32 so that they may be readily moved about theplace.

In the operation of the device according to the invention, the plug 22is open to allow gas to escape from the container 10 while the valve 28is tightly closed and liquid is introduced through the discharge tube 42either through the conduit 46 or in a special conduit which may beconnected to the conduit 42. The opening of the plug 22 allows the gasor air in the container 10 to escape so that fluid such as water orother fire fighting fluid may be readily filled into the container 10.After the container 10 is filled, the valve 50 will be closed,preferably with the conduit 46 full of fluid so that it Will be ready tooperate on a moments notice. The plug 22 will then be closed so that thevent is closed into the T-member 20 and the valve 28 and the releasevalve 29 of the cylinder 32 will be open so that a regulated pressurefrom the high pressure cylinder 32 will be delivered into the top of thecontainer 10 to place the fluid therein under pressure.

In the event of fire, the entire equipment may be readily taken to thefire or an exceedingly long conduit 46 may be used with a substantiallystationary container 10. In either event, the fire fighter will controlthe valve 50 to produce a spray through the fog nozzle 48. Obviously,the size of the conduit 48 and the conduit 26, as well as the mixer tube52 will depend upon the capacity of the container and the purpose forwhich the fire fighter is intended. It has been found that conduits 46,up to two and one-half inches in diameter have been readily Q utilizedwith certain types of fog nozzles 48 to produce a very effective firefighting fog.

When a particularly dense fog is required, the valve 54 may be openedallowing the pressure gas to be discharged directly into the conduit 42and discharged along with the fluid through the pressure fog nozzle 48so that a high intensity fog of very fine droplets may be produced. Theamount of fog produced by the nozzle 48 not only blankets the fire butabsorbs the heat generated thereby so that a fireman handling the nozzle48 may readily advance behind the screen of fog into the immediatevicinity of the fire Without being unduly heated.

It will thus be seen that the present device provides a completelyself-contained unit with no moving parts for producing a high intensityfog that is extremely effective in fighting fires.

This invention is useful for a general spraying device in the fumigationof buildings infested by termites and other insect pests, as well as forspraying buildings and parts of buildings being erected in order torender them more fire proof, and also may be used for a general sprayingof trees, grasses, growing crops, and other plant life and for thefertilization of soil and bringing nitrogen to grasses, trees, and othergrowing crops.

This extinguisher spraying device will make its own fog which can becreated without the use of any fog nozzle and the reason for using a fognozzle is to cover a wider area. The fogcreated by this extinguisherspraying device will put out any fire it comes in contact with bysmothering and cooling it.

Compressed air may be used effectively to mix with the Water and used asa substitute for nitrogen, or any other inert gas or any fluid chemicalcompound used or to be used for the extinguishing of fires.

This fire extinguisher spraying device can be applied to the outlet ofany pump or gravity pressure tank by increasing the pressure 100 percent or less on the pump or gravity pressure. By the outletto any pumpor gravity pressure tank is meant the connection of a fitting of therequired or desired size between the pump or gravity tank outlet and thehose of the fire extinguisher or spraying device, so that the nitrogen,compressed air, or other inert gas may move into the water line andcreate the desired fog.

For the purpose of exemplification, a particular embodiment of theinvention has been shown and described according to the best presentunderstanding thereof. However, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that changes and modifications in the construction andarrangement of the parts thereof may be readily resorted to withoutdeparting from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fire extinguisher comprising a fluid container, said containerhaving an opening adjacent the top thereof,

a pressure conduit connected in communication with said opening, afitting on said pressure conduit adapted to be connected to a compressedgas container, a gas pressure regulator in said pressure conduit, avalve in said pressure conduit, a discharge conduit communicating withsaid fluid container adjacent the bottom thereof, a fog producing nozzleon said discharge conduit, a tube communicating said pressure conduitWith said discharge conduit, a bracket mounted on and secured to oneside of fluid container, a caster wheel mounted on and secured to saidbracket, a platform mounted on the opposite side of said fluidcontainer, a pair of Wheel supporting brackets depending from saidplatform, spaced apart wheels journaled on said brackets, a recess insaid platform adapted 'to receive the end of a compressed gas bottle,and a flexible loop secured to said tank and adapted to support a gasbottle seated in said recess.

2. In a fire extinguisher which includes a fluid container with afitting therein adapted to connect with a pressure source from acompressed gas container, a discharge conduit operatively connected withsaid fluid container and having a nozzle thereon, a bracket secured toone side of said fluid container in spaced relationship to the top andbottom of said container, a Wheel carried by said bracket, a platformsecured to the opposite side of said fluid container and spaced from thetop and bottom of said fluid container, depending wheel supportingbrackets secured to said platform and depending therefrom, Wheelscarried by each of said Wheel supporting brackets, supporting meanssecured rigidly to said platform and to the side of said fluidcontainer, said platform having an opening therein between saidsupporting means and adapted to accommodate a compressed gas container,and a framework located below and spaced from said platform but securedto and carried by said platform in order to support the bottom of thecompressed gas container.

3. The fire extinguisher of claim 2wherein said fluid tank has a pair ofbrackets aflixed thereto intermediate the top and bottom ends thereof,and a flexible loop secured to said pair of brackets and extendingaround the gas container to hold said gas container assembled with thefluid tank and on said framework.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,277,269 Sturcke Aug. 27, 1918 1,488,125 Kline Mar. 25, 1924 1,860,136Bunch May 24, 1932 1,914,245 Echola June 13, 1933 1,998,502 Glascow Apr.23, 1935 2,336,851 De Bellis Dec. 14, 1943 2,578,102 Stephenson et a1.Dec. 11, 1951

